Time for Leisure Business

Following the theme of 'business' while I am on a course this week, I've taken time out to go the Cinema for some leisure business.

In fact, I took a trip to the Showcase Cinema in Coventry last night to get away from my residential course and saw Burke and Hare starring Simon Pegg and Andy Serkis ('Gollum' in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.)

Despite critics not giving it a very complimentary review, I found it entertaining and funny in places with Pegg on top form. Yes it is a little predictable, but I've always said, if done with style and class, it's fine by me.

1820s Edinburgh sees two famous surgeons struggling to find bodies for dissection to educate medical students. By accident, Burke and Hare deliver a body to the surgeon and they earn the princely sum of £5 and there starts a business that proves profitable if not somewhat dangerous and in the end fatal for one of them. There were some great ham cameo performances from Christopher Lee, Jenny Agutter and Michael Winner the latter of which is an uncredited role.

Veteran actors Ronnie Corbett and John Woodvine support the rival surgeons Tim Curry and Tom Wilkinson and the sex interest is Pegg's girlfriend Isla Fisher. Comedian Bill Bailey makes a creditable hangman and narrator.

I guess dealing with dead bodies might be an uncomfortable subject and in all honesty, if you are sensitive to this for any reason, the film is probably best to be avoided - there is a certain degree of indelicacy about it.

The film moves along with pace and the story keeps you interested right to the very ironic end.

All in all, if you like Simon Pegg, you'll like this film with all the little extras waiting to be spotted by the sharp eyed cinema goer. Recommended.

Today's element of the course dealt with the 'fascinating' subject of finance management and people management including controversial topics such as annual appraisals and less meaty but equally as important employee engagement. The preparation for the presentation at the end of the course marches on despite some severe IT issues which are doing their best to scupper our attempts at producing a simple PowerPoint presentation.

England football on the television tonight, so hopefully, something to really cheer about tomorrow.

Chat soon

Ta-ra.

Let's do the Business...

I've migrated to Warwickshire (south east of Coventry) for the second residential week of a three week course and this module is about strategic business, linked to the course theme of 'Strategic Leadership.' It's not as grand as it sounds, it's a foundation course. Other brighter, younger things do the full course.

It's at times like this that I realise my inadequacies and age (I'm the oldest on the course) whilst in amongst some incredibly bright cookies from around the UK, most with degrees of one sort or another and most of whom have done some of the techniques already. Ah well, the trick I guess is to get out of my comfort zone, grit my teeth and try to get as much out of it as possible, because believe it or not, it's a very interesting (if not incredibly difficult) subject particularly at this time of tremendous change in the public service.

Today's subjects were: organisational change which included models for change, organisational emotional intelligence and a few exercises to burn the lessons in. Before tea, I am now doing some reflection and analysis which involves completing a 'learning log' with what the most significant learning of the day was and how I can apply the new knowledge to the workplace.

Although it was forecast to be cold last night, imagine my surprise when I walked out of my room this morning to be confronted with a widespread and hard frost which has lingered until well after lunch; and, having disappeared, returned by the time we walked out of our delegate room at 4.30 pm tonight. The picture above was taken at 9 am.

I love the frost, but the shower in the room this morning was only lukewarm which I HATE! which did not prepare me well for the chill. However, most importantly, housekeeping have put new batteries in the television remote control!

I hope you have a great week.

Chat soon

Ta-ra.